Bangkok: Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presided over a royal ceremony on Monday to mark the layout for the construction of the Royal Crematorium for Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother at Sanam Luang. During the traditional rite, the Princess oversaw the positioning of the foundation markers at the four cardinal points of the site. Following royal protocol, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul drove the four symbolic markers into the ground to define the precise boundaries of the crematorium structure.
According to Thai News Agency, Phanomboot Chantarachot, Director-General of the Fine Arts Department, stated that the ceremony is a preliminary step toward the main pillar-raising ceremony scheduled for early April. The construction of the ornate crematorium is expected to be completed by October, with the installation of the Great Tiered Umbrella to follow in November.
The design of the crematorium will honor the Queen Mother's lifelong dedication to Thai heritage and folk arts. The "Chak Bang Phloeng" (ceremonial screens) will feature craftsmanship from the Queen Sirikit Institute, incorporating traditional weaving and embroidery techniques-such as Yan Lipao and beetle wing collage-to reflect her role as the patron of the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques.